Following the theft and killing of an internet-famous dog in Henan, WDA wrote to the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress

The letter is translated as follows:

To Shen Chunyao, Director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress:

In May 2026, the theft and killing of "Chutou," a Border Collie known online as "Chutou," in Shangqiu, Henan Province, sparked widespread public outrage and concern across the country. A dog that had been a companion to its owner for nine years was sold and slaughtered for a mere 180 yuan. Initially, the police only opened an administrative case. However, after the dog owner submitted purchase certificates, breeding records, and evidence of its commercial value as an online celebrity, an official valuation determined that "Chutou's" value met the criteria for criminal prosecution for theft in Henan Province. The case has now been transferred to criminal investigation for theft. This incident once again exposes the predicament my country faces in combating dog poisoning, dog theft, and the black market for dog and cat meat, characterized by ambiguous legal definitions and extremely low costs for violations.

For many years, the World Canine Organization has conducted in-depth investigations into the black market for dog and cat meat, and in 2018 compiled and submitted the "White Paper on Severe Punishment of Dog Theft," and has made numerous suggestions to the National People's Congress, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the Ministry of Justice, and other departments.

Looking at global legal trends, the UK, US, and EU have successively amended their laws to define dogs and cats as companion animals with "sensory existence," moving them beyond the simple category of "property." Protecting the safety of companion animals is essentially protecting citizens' property rights, emotional rights, and personal dignity.

Therefore, the World Dog Federation hopes that the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress will expedite the improvement of legislation and impose severe penalties from the following four dimensions:

I. Re-establishing the legal status of dogs and cats as companion animals

On May 27, 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs removed dogs from the National Catalogue of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources and designated them as companion animals, making it a guiding provision for the whole country.

However, this provision has not been confirmed by the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress in the form of law.

The current legal system treats companion animals (dogs and cats) as general "property," and only those with an economic value of less than 1,000 yuan are not considered criminal offenders. This is a major loophole in the law.

The legal definition of companion animals should be elevated from simply "property" to "sensory companion animals," granting them a necessary social status.

II. Adjusting the starting point and sentencing standards for theft.

For theft and poisoning of companion animals, the sole criterion for criminal liability should not be the individual market value (such as 180 yuan in this case). It is recommended that specific sentencing standards be established for theft of companion animals, with heavier penalties and substantial economic sanctions to comprehensively increase the cost of illegal activities.

III. Cut off the source and severely crack down on the "black market dog and cat meat industry chain"

The rampant poisoning of dogs and the theft of cats stems from the highly profitable illegal industry chain behind it. It is hoped that the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress will formulate relevant laws and regulations to address the root causes and thoroughly curb the occurrence of these crimes.

IV. Promote the enactment of specific laws against the theft of companion animals.

To fundamentally solve such enforcement difficulties, systematic legal support is urgently needed. It is hoped that the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress will heed the voices of the people and expedite the enactment of specific laws to provide law enforcement agencies with a legal basis for action. China currently has 130 million companion animals (dogs and cats). Assuming one animal for every two people, this involves the fundamental rights and interests of 260 million pet owners, representing a major social issue that urgently needs to be addressed.

Salute

World Canine Organization China Regional Director

Liu Yuanyuan

June 8, 2026

Attached is "Stricter Penalty on Dog Theft White Paper" written by the World Dog Alliance in 2018 for reference.